Let's roam.
Romans 10:16-21 (NIV)
16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?"
17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: "Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."
19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, "I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding."
20 And Isaiah boldly says, "I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me."
21 But concerning Israel he says, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people."
The message has to go out and that is job number one. After we do our part of getting out the message then our responsibility is almost done. We are not done if someone responds and they need more help to grow in their new found faith. However, if people do not respond we can do nothing for them except pray that God would open their hearts to His message. We have all felt the urge do something more, but in truth there is nothing we can do. Paul asks the question, "Did they (Israel) not hear?" and Paul answers with, "Of course they did." I think it is very important to read these verses carefully and see how they apply in your life and mission. I have seen people in Key West, Fla., Columbia, S.C., Sumter, S.C., Charlotte, N.C., Northbrook, Ill., Dallas, Texas, and in the Lake Country area who are so ready to hear the message and receive it that it blows my mind. The opposite has also been so true in all these places that people really don't want to have anything to do with Christ's message. In Isaiah we see where the Lord lets His people know that there will be a people that will believe and they don't have near the understanding of the Israelites. You can see why the Jews were so upset about this Gentile thing. The Gentiles didn't have a clue and now they are heading up the mission. Perhaps the saddest words in this passage are in verse 21 where we see God holding out His hand to the Jewish people who are disobedient and obstinate. Just because someone hears and has some degree of understanding does not mean they will respond to God and His message. There have been times in my life that I felt I let people down when they brought their friends to hear the Gospel to be presented by me and then nothing happened. I feel I have let down my own family, friends, etc., in my attempts to share my faith with them and then see no response. I think, to some degree, we have all felt that way at one time or another in our life. Yet, the Word of God is clear that we must present the Gospel in the clearest way possible and then leave the results with the Lord. For me that is easier said than done. Before I close did you get the irony of verse 20? God was found by those who did not seek Him. Go figure.
People say that it is so hard to bring Jesus Christ and present him before the lives of men today. Of course it is, it is so hard that it is impossible except by the power of the indwelling Holy Ghost.
Oswald Chambers (1874–1917)
Friday, June 25, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Romans 10:14-18 (NIV)
It is a great day to roam in Rome!
Romans 10:14-18 (NIV)
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?"
17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: "Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."
This passage is used at mission conferences around the world. It should be used at mission conferences and it should be used in the local church. In Romans 1:16 we learned that the Gospel is the power of salvation unto all who believe. The theme of the book of Romans in this message is lived out by faith. Paul is bringing this passage right back to the theme of the book and asking some very pertinent questions. You can't call on one you have not believed. You can't even believe in something if you have not heard of it. People can't hear about it unless someone is sent to tell them. I believe in the missionary gift. I also believe that everyone is responsible to reach their friends, relatives, acquaintances, and neighbors. All of us have different gifts but we all have one mission and that is to tell the world about the Gospel of God! Now Paul comes back to the Israelites to say they have heard and they have rejected. This is very hard for all of us. We have friends, relatives etc., who have heard and as far as we can tell they have rejected or at least shown no interest. I believe in the fertile ground principle. When Jesus was teaching about the seed being sown by the farmer he talked about the soil being ready. The seed is good, but for a seed to grow it must have good soil. The good soil is the hearts of those where the seed of the Gospel is sown. I believe we must pray and find out where the good soil is for sowing the Gospel and then pour our resources there in those people. We can't afford to keep sowing good seed into the bad soil. Where does faith come from in order to believe? Faith comes from hearing the message. Even for the believer we must hear the message again and again in order for our faith to grow and be sustained. We must tell people the message of Christ if they are ever to believe. When is the last time you shared your testimony with an unbeliever? When is the last time you really shared the message of Christ with an unchurched person? I have to constantly be on my toes about this action step in my life. It is easy for me to get up and share from the so-called pulpit compared to my sitting down face to face with someone and sharing Christ's message. Let us help one another in this arena.
The church is under orders. Evangelistic inactivity is disobedience.
John R. W. Stott (1921– )
Romans 10:14-18 (NIV)
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?"
17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: "Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."
This passage is used at mission conferences around the world. It should be used at mission conferences and it should be used in the local church. In Romans 1:16 we learned that the Gospel is the power of salvation unto all who believe. The theme of the book of Romans in this message is lived out by faith. Paul is bringing this passage right back to the theme of the book and asking some very pertinent questions. You can't call on one you have not believed. You can't even believe in something if you have not heard of it. People can't hear about it unless someone is sent to tell them. I believe in the missionary gift. I also believe that everyone is responsible to reach their friends, relatives, acquaintances, and neighbors. All of us have different gifts but we all have one mission and that is to tell the world about the Gospel of God! Now Paul comes back to the Israelites to say they have heard and they have rejected. This is very hard for all of us. We have friends, relatives etc., who have heard and as far as we can tell they have rejected or at least shown no interest. I believe in the fertile ground principle. When Jesus was teaching about the seed being sown by the farmer he talked about the soil being ready. The seed is good, but for a seed to grow it must have good soil. The good soil is the hearts of those where the seed of the Gospel is sown. I believe we must pray and find out where the good soil is for sowing the Gospel and then pour our resources there in those people. We can't afford to keep sowing good seed into the bad soil. Where does faith come from in order to believe? Faith comes from hearing the message. Even for the believer we must hear the message again and again in order for our faith to grow and be sustained. We must tell people the message of Christ if they are ever to believe. When is the last time you shared your testimony with an unbeliever? When is the last time you really shared the message of Christ with an unchurched person? I have to constantly be on my toes about this action step in my life. It is easy for me to get up and share from the so-called pulpit compared to my sitting down face to face with someone and sharing Christ's message. Let us help one another in this arena.
The church is under orders. Evangelistic inactivity is disobedience.
John R. W. Stott (1921– )
Monday, June 21, 2010
Romans 10:5-13 (NIV)
The Lord is good and He is good all the time.
Romans 10:5-13 (NIV)
5 Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: "The man who does these things will live by them."
6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down)
7 "or 'Who will descend into the deep?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
8 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:
9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,
13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
If you live by the law you will live or die by the law. The righteousness that is by faith can do nothing to affect Christ. Righteousness that is by faith simply receives what the Lord has done. We are now coming to the heart of the Gospel. Perhaps you have used the Romans road presentation where you start out with Romans 3:23 to show we are all sinners. Then you move to Romans 6:23 where it is revealed that the wages of sin is death, but through Christ we live. How do I then connect with God. Now we are at Romans 10:9. It is summed with confession and belief in Christ. Some have asked me, "Do you have to first say Jesus is Lord and then believe." The answer is no. The point Paul is making in context is that we do nothing for this gift of salvation. Anyone who truly believes will eventually confess with their mouth. They will tell others of their faith in Christ. If they don't do that, then there is a chance they have not believed in Christ. In verse 10 Paul goes into the mechanics that happen inside of us. We believe in our hearts and with our mouths we make that belief known to others. Let it be said here and now there are no secret believers. In verse 13 we move to the next part of the Romans road plan of salvation. Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved! Do you believe that the Gospel is truly for everyone? The Lord blesses, no richly blesses, all who call upon Him. We have a great message and I believe the only message of salvation for the world.
Please pray with me and for me and our team that we become even more effective in helping people understand Christ's message.
Our task is to live our personal communion with Christ with such intensity as to make it contagious.
Paul Tournier (1898–1986)
Romans 10:5-13 (NIV)
5 Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: "The man who does these things will live by them."
6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down)
7 "or 'Who will descend into the deep?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
8 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:
9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,
13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
If you live by the law you will live or die by the law. The righteousness that is by faith can do nothing to affect Christ. Righteousness that is by faith simply receives what the Lord has done. We are now coming to the heart of the Gospel. Perhaps you have used the Romans road presentation where you start out with Romans 3:23 to show we are all sinners. Then you move to Romans 6:23 where it is revealed that the wages of sin is death, but through Christ we live. How do I then connect with God. Now we are at Romans 10:9. It is summed with confession and belief in Christ. Some have asked me, "Do you have to first say Jesus is Lord and then believe." The answer is no. The point Paul is making in context is that we do nothing for this gift of salvation. Anyone who truly believes will eventually confess with their mouth. They will tell others of their faith in Christ. If they don't do that, then there is a chance they have not believed in Christ. In verse 10 Paul goes into the mechanics that happen inside of us. We believe in our hearts and with our mouths we make that belief known to others. Let it be said here and now there are no secret believers. In verse 13 we move to the next part of the Romans road plan of salvation. Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved! Do you believe that the Gospel is truly for everyone? The Lord blesses, no richly blesses, all who call upon Him. We have a great message and I believe the only message of salvation for the world.
Please pray with me and for me and our team that we become even more effective in helping people understand Christ's message.
Our task is to live our personal communion with Christ with such intensity as to make it contagious.
Paul Tournier (1898–1986)
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